Display apparatus



May .10, 1932. H. H. INGERSOLL DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1,950

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DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 10,1932. H. H. INIGERSOLL DI S PLAY APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 2, 1930 fizz/6%?" I 1957726716: frqgavaZZ 188M May 1Q, 19 32. H. H. INGERSOLL 3,

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1950 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented May 10, 1932 FFICE HOMER H. INGERSOLL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ANIMATED DISPLAYS, INCORPORATED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DISPLAY AIPARATUS Application filed May 2, 1930. Serial No. 449,150.

My invention relates to a display apparatus and more particularly to a display apparatus of the animated or moving display type. 5 An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved display apparatus.

A further object is to provide an effective feeding system for transporting an extended endless belt past an illuminated display means. V

A further object is to provide anew and improved folding or collecting means for that portion of the endless belt which 1s not being displayed at the moment.

A further object is to provide a gravity actuated collecting device.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus wlth the covering removed, v

Fig. 3 is a sectional rear view of the apparatus,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on l1ne 5-5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the guide rollers, and,

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the container of the belt collector.

The apparatus is provided with a base 11,

5 having feet 12, of material which will prevent marring the surface upon which the apparatus is placed. Mounted upon the base is a rectangular frame 13, which extends entirely around the base. The front part of frame 13 forms part of a vertical frame 14, having a window 15 of transparent glass therein through which the matter displayed may be viewed. Mounted upon frame 13 is a base plate 16, preferably of metal, upon which the display apparatus is supported. A plurality of vertical guide rollers, 17 18, 19, and 21, are mounted in rectangular formation upon the base plate. Each of these rollers is supported upon a fixed shaft 22 on the base plate, and the rollers are mounted upon this shaft by means of ball races 23 and ball bearings 24. The upper and lower ends of the rollers are provided with flanges 25 to retain the belt 26 thereon. Belt 26 is an endless belt and is provided with a plurality of perforations forming characters 27 for communicating information to the person viewing the apparatus. The two rollers 17 and 18 are located so that the belt passing thereover, moves in a horizontal direction in front of window 15. Extending along in back of the belt is a plurality of sockets 28 carrying lamps 29 for illuminating the back side of the belt. Between the lamps and the belt is a pane of translucent glass 31 of such a character as to defuse the light from the bulbs and present a surface of uniform luminosity. In back of the row of lamps is a reflector 32 for reflecting the light from the lamps 29 forwardly upon pane 31. When the belt passes before the window 15 it is in a vertical position, that is, a line extending in the direction of the width of the belt is in avertical position. After leaving roller 21 the belt passes under an arm 33 which rotates the belt through an angle away from the vertical. This arm is preferably provided with a hard rubber sleeve 34 having a smooth surface to reduce the frictionbetween a pair of horizontal drive rollers 35 and 36. Theserollers are journaled in upwardly extending standards 37 and 38. The roller 35 is mounted in ball bearings 41 and has a shaft 42 extending laterally from the roller, and carrying a drive wheel 43. The upper roller 36, is mounted on a shaft 45 having a groove 46 at one end thereof. The standard 37 has a slot 47 therein, permitting shaft 45 to be inserted or withdrawn from the standard in an upward direction. The standard 38 is provided with a slot 48 for receiving a bearing plate 49. This plate is urged downwardly in the slot by springs 51, and rides upon the end of shaft 45 urging the shaft downwardly to retain the rollers in frictional contact. The upper end of shaft 45 is urged downwardly by a bearing plate 52 actuated by a spring 53. This bearing plate has an aperture which may be placed over the end of shaft 45 to ride in groove 46. The upper end of the bearing plate is provided with a grip 54 to facilitate the release of the hearing plate from the shaft to permit convenient removal of the upper roller for insertion of the endless belt between the rollers. The drive wheel of the rollers is actuated by a motor 55 having a drive pulley 56 which drives the wheel 43 through a belt 57. As the belt is drawn over arm 33 from guide roller 21 and between the drive rollers and 36 it is changed from a vertical to a horizontal position. That is, a line extending in the direction of the width of-the belt, lies in a horizontal position. From the drive rollers the endless belt is fed into a container 58 in which the belt accumulates and is stacked or placed in horizontal folds by gravity. The container is provided with a cover 59 which may be secured to the container by any suitable means. The forward end of the cover plate 61 extends downwardly in close proximity to roller 36 so as to strip 7 the belt from the roller in casethere should be any tendency forthe belt to adhere to the roller. The lower drive roller has a similar stripping plate 62 secured to the upright standards which will strip the belt from the roller if it should tend to adhere, and directs the 'belt into the container. From the container the belt is drawn by the drive rollers over the various guide rollers 17, 18, 19, and .21. At the exit end of the container is a pair of friction members for retaining the belt tautin its path around the guide rollers. A lower friction plate 63 is secured to a plate 6% attached to a. base 65 having upwardly extending standards 66. The top of each of these standards is provided with a threaded pm 67 upon which is mounted a frictionplate '68. This plate is held against a nut 69 by means of a spring 71. It will be seen that by tightening or loosening nut 69 the friction applied to the endless belt after it leaves the container may be regulated. After the endless belt passes from the friction device just described it passes under a second arm 40 similar to arm 33 and thence to roller 19. During this time it is again rotated through .an angle of substantially degrees and changed from a horizontal to a vertical position. It will be noted that the guide pulleys 19 and 21 are located in a plane which substantially passes through the center of the driving rollers and the friction means. This arrangement tends to keep the .belt in its proper lateral position in passing between the drive rollers and the friction device.

Due to the fact that the endless belt is stacked in the container by gravity the drive rollers are not required to move the stacked portion of the belt forwardly in order to clear the drive rollers of the belt. In devices in which the endless belt is stacked on edge in a vertical position, the belt has a tendency 5/ to accumulate in front of the rollers, pressing the belt against the drive rollers with such force that the friction tends to wear out the belt in a short time, and the rollers tend to carry the belt around with them. In the present apparatus this disadvantage is wholly obviated by gravity stacking. In withdrawing the belt from'the'container the lower folds are withdrawn from underneath the accumulated portion of the belt to repeat the cycle and again display the matter carried by the belt. It will be under-stood that the nature and embodiments of the invention hereindescribed and disclosed is merely illustrative, and many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the zontal position while advancing'it in the same.

direction, and means forcolleoting and storingthe belt in horizontal .folds.

2. In'adisplayapparatus, an endless belt, a source of illumination fora portion ofsaid belt, a pair of vertical guide rollers for guid-.

ing the belt by said source of illumination, a pair of horizontal drive rollers for moving the belt. said belt being rotated through an angle of 90 degrees and continuing .it in the same direction in passing from the vertical 1 to the horizontal rollers, and collecting means for accumulating the belt upon passing through the drive rollers.

3. In a display apparatus, an endless belt, means for displaying a portion of said belt,

means for guiding portions of said belt by said displaying means inra vertical position,

.means for changing the position of the belt to a substantially horizontal position after :passing said-display device while continuing in the same direction, means for accumulating the belt-in horizontal position, and means for withdrawing thebelt from said accumulating means and restoring it to vertical-position for passing by said displaying means.

4.:In a display apparatus for displaying material on a'belt, illuminatingmeans for the belt, means for guiding said belt by said illu- -minating means in a vertical position, horizontal driving means for transporting the belt over said vertical guiding means and delivering the'belt in horizontal position while advancing it in the same direction, an accumulating compartment for receiving the belt,

and means for restoring the belt to vertical position after leavingsaid compartment.

5. In a display apparatus for displaying :material on a belt, means for displaying a portion :of said beltin vertical position, horizontal driving means delivering said belt in Gil horizontal position, said belt being rotated through an angle of 90 degrees in passing from the vertical display position through the horizontal driving means, an accumulating compartment for receiving the belt in horizontal position, and means for guiding the belt and restoring it to vertical position after leaving said compartment.

6. In a display apparatus for displaying material on a belt, means for displaying a portion of said belt in vertical position, horizontal driving means for actuating said belt located on the same level as the display means, a receiving compartment for receiving the belt from said driving means, friction means for tensioning the belt as it leaves the receiving compartment, and means for changing the angular position of said belt after leaving said compartment.

7 In a display apparatus means for displaying an endless belt in vertical position, a pair of guide rollers for guiding the belt by said display means, a pair of horizontal drive rollers, a second pair of guide rollers positioned rearwardly of said first guide rollers and having their axes at substantially right angles to the drive rollers and located on the same level as the guide rollers, whereby the belt is rotated through an angle while continuing in the same direction.

8. In a display apparatus display means for displaying a portion of an endless belt, a pair of vertical guide rollers for guiding the belt by said display means, a second pair of guide rollers positioned rearwardly of said first guide rollers, horizontal drive rollers intermediate said second pair of guide rollers, and an arm for guiding the belt from one of said vertical guide rollers to said horizontal drive rollers,

9. In a display apparatus for displaying material on a belt, means for displaying a portion of said belt in vertical position, a pair of horizontal drive rollers arranged one above the other and resiliently urged together, said drive rollers being journalled in a pair of vertical standards, the lower one of said drive rollers being positively driven and the upper drive roller being removable for insertion of said belt.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 22nd day of April, 1930.

HOMER H. INGERSOLL. 

